Flax combing and cleaning machine.



PATBNTED FEB. 7, 1905.

I. J. KARNIK & A. F. KUBESH. FLAX COMBING AND CLEANING MACHINE.

0. 4 l 2 8 7 nw N APPLICATION FILED AUG.17,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 782,140. PATENTED PEB. 7, 1905.

F. J. KARNIK & A. F. KUBBSH.

FLAX GOMBING AND CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.1'1.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wijf/mmm LAQ W UNiTi-:D STATES FRANK J. KARNIK AND AUGUST F.

Patented February 7, 1905.

KUBES H, OF VES ELFYVILLE, NORTH DAKOTA.

FLAX COMBING AND CLEANING NlACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,140, dated February '7, 1905. Application lell August 17, 1904. Serial No. 221,147.

[n r/// 107mm/ it H1/my concern.-

lBe it known that we, FRANK J. KARNIK and AUeUsT F. KUnsi-i, citizens of the United States, residing at Veseleyville, in the county of \Valsh, State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flax Oombing and Cleaning Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, IO such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. This invention relates to machines for combing and cleaning' iiax; and it has for its object to provide an apparatus in the use of which l5 the fibers will be thoroughly combed and will be cleaned without breaking or otherwise injuring them, a further object of the invention being' to provide a construction in which the desired results will be accomplished with the 2O expenditure of little time and energy.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a machine einbodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 3

3O isa vertical longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken transversely through the machine in the plane of the pickers, one of the pickers being in elevation.

Referring new to the drawings, there is shown a machine comprising a base-frame 10, upon which are uprights 11, that support the parallel horizontal beams 1Q and 13, foi-ming the sides of the body of the machine. The inner lower corners of the beams 12 and 13 are grooved or i'abbeted, and in these rabbets are disposed the end portions of the transverse hacklebars 14, which are bolted or otherwise secured to the beams in any snitable manner. The bars serve to strengthen the body of the machine and give tliei'eto the necessary rigidity.

Upon the beams 19. and 13, respectively,

and adjacent to each end thereof are mounted journal-boxes 15 and 16, and in each pair 50 of journal-boxes are mounted the outwardlyturned ends of a double crank-shaft, the shaft l in the boxes at one end of the machine being i shown at 17, while the shaft at the opposite or discharge end of the machine is shown at 19. One crank of each shaft is between the bearings in which the shaft mounted, while the other crank is at the outer sido of the bearl ing 16, and these last-named cranks (indicated at Q0) are connected by a pitinan Q1. Those 60 cranks of the shafts that are between the journal-boxes 15 and 16 (shown at 22 and 23) engage the journal-boxes Q4; and 25, respectively, upon the opposite ends of the sides 26 and QT of a movable hackle-frame. The sides 26 and 2T are connected by the hackle-hars 28, the endmost bar at the inner end of the hackle being secured against the beveled end faces 29 of the sides Q6 and 2T, and through this endmost bar and at an inclination so as to project at right angles to the beveled faces are inserted hackle-tecth 30, which project from the lower face of the bar and are tapered in the direction of their free ends. The l free end portions of the teeth 30 are bent so 75 that they project only slightly rearwardly. Through the remaining bars QS aie inserted liackle-teetli 31, which project froni'the lower faces of the bars and are tapered toward their lower ends and project slightly rearwardly of 8O i the machine. Extending upwardly through the lower hackle-bars 14e are liackle-teeth 3Q, i which project from the upper faces of the bars and slightly in the direction of the ini take end of the machine, all of the hackle- S5 teeth being riveted or otherwise secured to i the bars. The crank-shaft at the discharge end of the machine is provided with a beltwheel 33 for rotating the shaft to give tothe movable hackle-'franie a rotary nmvement, 90 the frame when in proximity to the fixed frame moving toward the discharge end of the latter for a purpose to be presently explained.

Upon the beams 12 and 13 and spaced 95 slightly Afrom the journal-boxes 15 and 16 at i the inner end of the machine are journall boxes 35, in whichis journaled a picker-shaft 'per picker-shaft is provided with 36, which carries a picker. The picker comprises end disks 37, which are fixed to the shaft 36 between and adjacent to the boxes and which disks are connected by metal plates 38. Each of the plates has end wings 39 and 40, which are secured flat against the inner faces of the disks 37, one longitudinal edge portion of each plate having triangular teeth 41, which project beyond the peripheries of the disks and are bent slightly in a direction opposite to that of rotation of the picker. The plates are displaced slightlyT from positions radially of the disks to such a degree that if continued they would pass at one side of the picker shaft. At the under sides of the beams 12 and 13 are other journal-boxes 42, in which is journaled a transverse pickershaft 43, carrying a picker, including end disks 44, against the inner faces of which are secu red the lateral ly-turned wings 47 of plates 48, that extend longitudinally of the picker and which at one longitudinal edge have the triangular teeth 49, which project beyond the peripheries of the disks and are bent slightly in the direction opposite to that of rotation of the picker. It will be noted that the upper picker is of greater diameter rthan the lower picker, while the number of toothed plates or combs is the same in both pickers. The upa gearwheel 50, which engages a pinion 51 on the lower picker-shaft, these engaging members ,being so proportioned as to permit of live hundred revolutions of the lower picker to three hundred revolutions of the upper picker, the pickers being driven from a belt-wheel 53, fixed to one end of the upper picker-shaft, the opposite end of the upper picker-shaft having a belt-wheel 54, with which is engaged a belt 55, which engages also with the beltwheel 33. l

The fiax to be treated is fed into a hopper 57, which carries it into position between the pickers, which are rotated with their mutually-adjacent faces in the direction of the hackle, and by reason of the fact that the lower picker rotates at a higher speed than the upper picker and -that the teeth are deiiected oppositely to the directions of rotation of the pickers the iiax is held upon the upper teeth, while the lower teeth serve to comb it. To insure disengagement of the flax'from the upper teeth, a doffer is provided and consists of a transverse bar 58, which is carried by the curved end supports 59 and 60, which are hinged to the beams 12 and 13, so that the doffer may be swung toward and away from the upper picker. The free ends of the curved end supports, which latter passpart way around the upper pickershaft, rest upon the rear end portions of the beams 12 and 13. The rear end portions of the curved end pieces or end supports are connected by a transverse brace 61, and this brace, in connection with the doffer-plate and end supports, forms a frame for a semicylin- I drical housing 62, which extends over and part way around the upper picker. A semicylindrical housing 64 is 'provided for the under side of the lower picker.

To receive the fiax from the pickers and carry it to the hackle, a feed-roller 69 is provided having trunnions mounted in bearings in the beams 12 and 13, the roller being located between the lower picker and the lower hackle-bars and projecting slightly above the i latter and having radiating pins or teeth 70. The feed-roller is driven with its upper side in the direction of the hackle by means of a belt engaged with pulleys 72 and 73 on the lower picker-shaft and atrunnion of the roller. The feed-roller extends slightly beneath the inner end bar of the movable hackle-frame, and in the movement of said frame the teeth of this bar move entirely over the roller, so as to engage the flax thereon and carry it onto the lower or fixed hackle-bars. rlhe movement of the upper hackle-frame causes its teeth to engage the iiax on the lower frame and carry it rearwardly of the latter and discharge it finally from its rear end, the teeth of the two frames being positioned so that the upper teeth enter between the lower teeth and serve to remove waste matter and further straighten the fibers and separate them without breaking them.

i/Vhat is claimed is- Y 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with pickers, of a hackle comprising a fixed member and a movable feeding member and a feeding-roller disposed between the` pickers and the hackle and adapted to carry materials from the former to the latter, the feeding member of the hackle being movable over the roller to engage and carry material therefrom to the fixed member of the hackle.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with pickers, of a hackle comprising relatively fixed and movable frames having teeth projecting toward each other, means for moving one of the frames longitudinally of the other frame and means for feeding the material to be treated, from the pickers to the hackle.

3. A machine of the class described comprising a hackle comprising a fixed member including spaced bars having` upwardly-projecting teeth and a second member having downwardly-projecting teeth and mounted for rotary movement longitudinally of the fixed member and pickers disposed for treatment of material in its passage to the hackle.

4. A machine of the class described comprising a hackle embracing a fixed member including spaced bars having upwardly-pro- I jecting teeth and a second member having l downwardly-projecting' teeth and mounted roo tor rotary movement longitudinaly of thel In testimony whereotl weaixoursignatures lixed member, pickers disposed for treatment in presence of two witnesses.

of material in its passage t0 the hackle, and FR. J. KARNlK.

means for carrying the material from thel AUGUST F. KUBESH. pickers to the hackle and in cooperation with lVtnesses:

which the movable member of the hackle is J AMES E. GRAY,

4operable to remove the material therefrom. LENORA A. MEAD. 

